Tru Confessions
by barcode-babe-210
Summary: A new girl (not Manticore) arrives in Seattle, little sister in tow. Who is she? Why is she being chased, along with the trannies? MA action chap. 2, BiggsNew. self-mutilation warning- 1st and 8th chappie only. REVIEW! !
1. A day in the life

Please review, and let me know if this is ok, all right? I'm doing some serious fretting right about now, so hurry up and press the little purple button!!! 

(A/N at end of chappie)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Seattle, Washington

~I used to have a family. I used to be normal. Hell, I used to be a cheerleader.~ A brunette teenager looking way too tired for being so young announces to the cook that she's taking a fifteen minute break. He replies with a gruff, "Well, hurry the hell up!" She sighs, walking outside the bar and into the back alley.

She sits there, watching the sun set and rocking back and forth softly, her outfit getting dirty but she doesn't care. She's lost in the memories of the past, the voices of those better left forgotten.

~You're fat.(one of the popular girls)~ she stands up shakily, but then falls to her knees, grabbing at the brick wall with a death grip. ~You're not normal...Get out of my house, mutant scum!(her mother)~ she throws up over and over, feeling dirtier by the second as the onslaught of memories fails to stop. ~You take my mutant baby and get the hell out of here, trash! (Her mother)~

After getting rid of everything that had been in her stomach, she takes out a pocketknife, watching the light of the moon dance off of it. She lifts up her shirt sleeve, readying herself for the pain. She slices into her forearm, leaning her head against her uncut arm, letting the blood drip slowly onto the dirt and gravel beneath it, already bloodstained from countless other times that the girl has cut herself.

~I know it's wrong and stupid, but I need to feel. That's why I do it. The need to not feel numb overwhelms me. I guess it's the same with the whole eating thing, too. Whatever. I can do whatever the hell I want. I don't have anybody to worry about me, anyway.~ She stares at the stars, looking for a shooting one.

_~Star light, _

_Star bright, _

_First star I see tonight,_

_I wish I may,_

_I wish I might,_

_Have the wish_

_I wish tonight..._

_I wish I wasn't Tru Lynne Montgomery.~_

The blood drips to the ground, a silent penance for being different. An offering to whoever decides who is a mutant or not, that they had made a mistake, and to take all of it- the power, the hurt, the pain- away.

~Take me away~__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tru! Get your ass back in here! You've been on break for ten minutes, and we're swamped!" Billy yells through the door angrily, huffing back to the kitchen, spatula in hand. Tru rolls her eyes. ~Ask for a fifteen minute break and get a seven and a half one.~ she thinks, checking her watch. She stands up slowly, feeling a lightheaded rush as she stands up, her head spinning lightly in circles. She walks into the bar, the smell of grease hitting her like a lead pipe. She leans against the bar, steadying herself against the nausea that overwhelms her.

"Hey, you alright?" a attitude-filled voice asks her, sounding concerned. Tru looks up, her eyes full of remorse.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." she apologizes to the black girl with frizzy hair, not wanting to get in trouble with the boss. ~God knows I need the money from this job.~ "What do you want?"

"Original Cindy asked you if you were all right, suga." she tells Tru, who looks at her like she's crazy, obviously not used to having people ask if she's ok. "But I will take a pitcher of beer for my fools." 

"I'm fine." Tru assures her. But, that doesn't work, and she figures that this Original Cindy is a good character read. OC gives her a scrutinizing look, her eyes catching on Tru's sleeve as she hands her the pitcher. "Really, I'm ok. Thank you for asking, though." Tru tells her, and OC nods, walking away to a table where a black-haired woman is talking and laughing to a blonde-haired man, and one man looks like he's about to pass out at any given minute.

She fills orders for a while, trying to ignore the happiness of the people around her. Then something catches her eye. A little girl, about five years old, runs through the bar, her violet eyes wide and playful as she scurries past OC's table and heads straight to Tru. ~I told her to stay home!~

Tru bends down, picking the little girl up with surprising strength as she plows into her, arms open wide in an adoring hug. "Hi, o-sister-of-mine!" she says happily, not noticing the many odd looks the pair's getting, or the death glare that Billy's giving her.

Tru carries her around the bar, motioning to the raven-haired girl from OC's table, who's waiting at the bar for a refill, to wait a minute. She sets the girl down, smoothing her fiery red hair down and bending down so she can look her in the eye. "Jessie, what did I tell you to do today?" she asks, and the little girl thinks about it for a minute, toying with the hem of her t-shirt. 

"Um....well, you told me to have a good day, and that you had to work late tonight, so I should stay in the room and not let anyone in." she says, and Tru nods, knowing that the little girl will get to what's needed to be said sooner or later. "And I didn't, but the mean, scary guys came, and I didn't open the door, but they opened it, but I didn't, and I hid, and then I went through Ms. Kilmore's wall like you said, and they had guns and it was scary and I'm scared." she rambles, smushing the words all together in an almost professional manner. Tears fill her eyes, and Tru pulls her into a hug.

"Oh, baby, you all right?" she asks, not noticing the scrutinizing looks that the woman and blonde-haired man, who's now next to her, are giving them. Jessie nods. "Did you get hurt?" she asks, and the little girl shakes her head. Relief shows on Tru's face, her brows less knit together now. "Did you have to...be 'special'?" she asks, and Jessie shakes her head no, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"Jessie, look at me, ok?" Tru tells her, and the girl lifts her gaze to meet her sister's. "You did great today, honey. I'm so sorry I had to leave you alone, but I need to make money to stay at the motel. But don't worry; I'll always keep you safe, all right?" Tru tells her, and Jessie nods, smiling a little.

"I'll take care of you, Tru!" she announces proudly. "Can I have pizza?" she asks, forgetting entirely the importance of the previous conversation, her entire tiny mind focused on whether to opt for pepperoni or sausage.

"Sure. Just let me get the orders, 'kay?" Tru says, moving to the two people who had been watching them so intently. "So sorry, family crisis." she tells them, and they shrug. The man glances down to the little girl, who's staring up at him curiously. "So, another pitcher?" she asks, and the woman nods.

"Hi! I'm Jessie, and I'm four, and I like pizza and fire." she announces, and Tru groans. 

"I'm Alec. I'm twenty, and I like pizza and women." he tells her, and the woman next to him rolls her eyes.

"Excuse my little pyro here. It's almost physically impossible for her to stop talking." Tru explains, smiling slightly at the little girl, who waves. "Oh, it's Tru, by the way."

"Max, and excuse my little womanizer over here." she tells Tru, hitting Alec on the shoulder without even looking, with amazing accuracy. "It's been proven physically possible for him to shut up." she says, and the women laugh.

Jessie and Alec look at each other, now both mad. "Nuh uh!" they both cry angrily, glad to find consolation somewhere. "I bet I can stay quiet for five whole minutes!" Jessie says, and Alec nods. Max and Tru glance at each other, both nodding and trying to hold back laughs.

Two minutes later, both Jessie and Alec are bored with trying not to talk, and are silently playing rock paper scissors, with glances to the clock only every two seconds or so. "I'm bored." Jessie tells Alec, and he nods.

"Yeah. Whoever came up with silence in the first place?" he asks, and the little girl shrugs, squealing with delight as Tru places a pepperoni pizza in front of her.

"Feel free to dig in. Five year olds have pretty tiny stomachs." Tru invites Max and Alec. Max, who's quickly warming up to Tru, nods a thanks and grabs a slice, and Alec grabs one, too. He looks at Tru thoughtfully.

"You know, I heard you talking with Max about how men suck when Jessie and I were making big with the 'not talking.' I have a friend, Biggs, who you might really like..." he tells her, his green eyes sparkling mischievously.

"I don't like boys. They're icky, and they smell...ew!" Jessie says, her face contorting in disgust. Then she forgets about that, and goes back to eating her pizza, peeling off the pepperoni and placing it carefully on a napkin- you know, the old 'best for last' routine.

"I second that." Tru says, making a face that resembles Jessie's.

"I third." Max says, and Alec places his hand over his heart.

"Ladies, ladies, you obviously aren't familiar with the gentlemanly way of my sex." he says, looking at them with what seems to be great sympathy. Tru snorts. "Biggs, come help me show these ladies how well the male half of the species can treat these lovely specimens." he calls his very handsome friend over, who grins.

"Men are dogs. It'd be better if you came up to us, sniffed our butts, and peed on us." she says, and Max laughs. Alec's hopeful face falls, and Biggs just laughs. "At least then it wouldn't be so confusing."

"You're preaching to the choir, sista." Original Cindy says, wanting to see what the commotion at the bar is all about. "You sure you don't play for the all-girls team?" she asks, pretty sure that she pegged this chica at a hetero.

"Most definitely. I don't swing that way." she says, and Original Cindy swears, then blushing at the look Jessie gives her. ~Note to self, don't swear in front of children.~ Tru sighs. "I'm just not good with the opposite sex. I get red, and I can usually make a few vowel sounds, but then I have to go away." she says, and Biggs and Alec look at each other and stifle laughs. ~She's doing pretty damn well with me.~ Biggs muses, drawn to this girl.

"Come on, you can't be that bad." Cindy says, and Max nods. Tru laughs.

"Freshman year I tripped down a flight of stairs in front of the entire football team." she groans, and they all laugh. ~I should really think before I talk.~ she mentally reprimands, but glad that she's meeting new people at the same time.

"Um, Tru? I think the little one's either dead or extremely tired." Original Cindy tells her, and she glances down, to where the little girl's asleep in the midst of her pepperoni pile. Tru looks at the clock.

"Well, it's pretty much closing time, anyway. I can walk her home and put her to bed." she muses, scooping the little girl into her arms. 

"You walk home in post-Pulse Seattle?" Cindy asks incredulously. Tru nods.

"We just live at Oakleaf Motel. It's pretty close." she shrugs, not seeing the big deal. ~I can always blow them up.~

"I can walk you." Biggs says, noticing how everyone tenses up at the mention of a bad part of town.

"Thanks, but you don't have you. Really, I do it every other night." she says, and the look of shock on OC's face is even more than when she found out about a certain someone's gladiator dreams.

"I'd just feel better knowing you're ok." he says. "You all right with that?" 

"Sure. Just let me tell Billy that I'm leaving." she says, and he nods. She turns to the others, smiling brightly. "It was really nice meeting y'all. Hope to see you again." 

With the assurances of many future nights at the bar together and tired goodnights, the others part. And, a few minutes later, as lights all around the city are going out, so do Biggs and Tru, who's carrying Jessie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: so, you likey? This is the first chapter, if you don't like, tell me and I'll fix it. I try to be really good about putting in your requests. luv ya! REVIEW *coughsubliminalmessagecough*

To all of you who read Lucy the Mutant- I just updated, but I don't think it showed up on the boards, for whatever reason. Check it out, tell me whatcha think- HUGE surprise this chapter! Hope you like it!

I traded the characters from an Xmen fic I was trying out for this baby, so I hope ya like it. I just couldn't get into the other one. Sorry.

DISCLAIMER: not mine, even though I put it on my Christmas list. Hey, I never got that pony, either....*pouts*

luv ya!

Molly Jeane 


	2. walky, talky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Biggs walks down the quiet street, quietly watching Tru. She's beautiful, that's for sure. But there's something that makes her beauty dark. Maybe it's that she's a little skinnier than she should be, or that her light purple eyes seem to have seen too much pain. Her long, curly, chocolatey hair falls to her waist. It's pretty, but Biggs is kind of mad that it veils her face.

"So, you grow up here?" he asks, trying to get information out of her. Max and Alec told him that they had overheard her asking the little girl if she needed to be 'special' when some bad guys came and trashed their place. She shakes her head.

"No. We grew up in New York." she says, motioning to the little girl in her arms, who's clutching the teddy bear with all of her four-year-old might. She sighs, "I can't tell you how many people think I'm her mom."

"You're not?" Biggs says, beyond relieved.

"Nope. She's my sister. Our real mom kicked us out. I've been taking care of us both ever since." Tru explains, and Biggs nods, glad to be getting some information out of her. She seems to be telling the truth, but he can't be sure.

"How old were you? If I'm not making you uncomfortable." he quickly adds, not wanting to pressure her or make her feel like she's being interrogated. She shrugs.

"No big. I was fifteen, she was almost one year. So, basically, I've been like her mother." she says, then anger paints her face. "What kind of mother throws her eight month old baby into the street? I don't even care about me, but it f*cking sucks that she doesn't have a mom." 

Biggs is now positive that she's telling the truth, by the hurt and anger on her face as she tells him. He hesitantly wraps an arm around her shoulder, trying to comfort her in some way. She leans into his touch, glad to finally have someone to tell this to.

"That sucks. I'm so sorry." he says, truly meaning it. "It's hard enough to be alone when you're young, but to have to take care of someone else must be really shitty." 

"Why do I get the feeling you know what I'm talking about?" she asks, trying to read his eyes. He shrugs.

"I had a pretty shitty childhood, too. But at least I just had to worry about taking care of me." he says, and Tru nods. "I bet you can get pretty stressed sometimes."

She laughs, but it sounds cold. "That's the understatement of the century. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the girl." she assures him, and he nods. "But I just...I never really got to be a kid."

"Me neither. How so?" he asks, curious. She kicks a rock on the ground, sending it flying into a nearby building.

"My real dad died when I was six. I was a real daddy's girl, so it really hit home. My mother, the player that she is, started dating before the burial. Jessie was an accident when I was fourteen. Mom was really surprised. Then she found out that I was..." she pauses, not wanting to continue.

"Look, I promise I won't freak or yell or whatever you're afraid of me doing." he says, and she looks at him with a 'yeah right!' face. He looks her in the eyes, hoping that she'll see he's telling the truth. She looks at him again, then nods as they turn the corner and head into the lobby of the Oakleaf Motel.

She freezes, spotting undercover agents and pulling Biggs back into an alley. "I can't go back there. They're after me. I swear, I didn't do anything wrong, but they still want me." she promises, her face a mask of fear and panic. She squeezes Jessie to her, trying to protect her in some way.

"I believe you." he says, looking her in the eyes. He steers her through the back streets of Seattle to avoid anyone who might be after either of them. He ushers her into his apartment quickly, motioning for her to lay Jessie on the bed in his guest room.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." she says, squeezing him tightly in a hug. "I guess I need an explanation." she says, and he nods, knowing that she's not a transgenic but curious to see why they're after her. She straightens her shoulders, walking to the lights and turning all of the lights in the apartment off.

"Don't worry. I promise I'm not trying to like kill you or anything." she tells Biggs with a grin. He smiles back, perfectly able to see in the dark room, thanks to his genetically enhanced vision. She raises her arms, and a bright purple ball of light grows between them. She points to the tv, and it goes on, Wily Coyote chasing Roadrunner while Biggs just stares in shock as she turns to the lamps, turning each one on in turn. She lowers her arms, the purple light dissipating. 

She gives Biggs a woried glance, lowering herself to the couch. "I'm a freak, aren't I?" she asks, suddenly very interested in studying the floor. Biggs just chuckles. She glares at him, and he swallows, suddenly reminded of Max.

"No, you're not." he says, earning him a scoff and an eye roll from Tru. "Ok, so it's definitely not normal, but either am I." he says, earning her attention. He turns around, pulling down his collar to reveal a barcode on the nape of his neck.

"You're one of those transgenics, aren't you?" she asks, and he nods. "God, I'm so sorry for what you've been through. It sucks." Biggs just looks at her like she's crazy.

"All the news stations have been broadcasting the theory that we're monsters without souls. You really don't care?" he asks incredulously. She shrugs, giving him a shy smile.

"Everything is biased. Besides," she says, "usually you just have to look a little deeper to realize the truth. And I have a feeling you've been to hell and back, and you still have bad guys on your ass all the time."

"Tru, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship." he says, and she nods happily. 

"Indubatably." she says, and they sit on the couch, eating cold pizza out of a box on the coffee table, watching old movies and cartoons through the night. Biggs slowly wraps his arm around her, pretending to reach for a cheeto and just leaving his arm there. Tru moves a bit closer, leaning her head on his shoulder.

~I know I should tell Max and Alec, but I just want one night to get to know Tru.~ Biggs watches her smiling at Tweety foil Sylvester's dinner plans yet again. She feels his gaze on her, and looks over, giving him a shy grin.

"You'd think that cat would just give up, you know? I mean, that is one hell of a smart bird. How's he gonna catch it?" she asks him, rolling her eyes and pointing to the screen, where the cat's being strung up to the ceiling fan.

"See, I kind of root for Sylvester. All he wants to do is eat the cute little bird, and he's getting slaughtered for it." he says, and they both grimace as Tweety turns on the fan. "See, it shows something for determination." he says, happy that the cat has the bird, but then the dog taps him on the shoulder and hits him over the head with a pan.

"He's just so bad at planning things, and he's so mean to Tweety. I mean, the canary's ingenious, but Sylvester deserves it, because he's the instigator." she says, sticking her tongue out at him when Sylvester falls out a window. 

"He's the instigator? You are sorely mistaken, girlie." he says, pointing to the screen. "See, look at that! He just tempts him!" he says, watching Tweety sashay around, turning into a drumstick in that hungry cat's mind eye. 

"Well, maybe it's just because he's tempting. But he's just so darn cute!" she shrugs, not really having anything else to defend her argument.

"You can't even tell if he's a boy or a girl!!" Biggs says, throwing up his hands in aggravation. Tru looks at the screen, trying to decipher the question that's been in her mind for years, but finding no answer on the screen, which has now moved to Granny yelling at Sylvester for trying to get Tweety.

"I personally think that he's a transvestite." she says, and he gives her a look and opens his mouth to speak. She holds up her hand, stopping him. "See, he's always smoking cigars and doing stuff not-too-ladylike, and he hits on girls that Sylvester likes. But he wears dresses as disguises." she says, and he nods in understanding, then looks at her incredulously.

"And you still like the transvestite canary more than the poor, hungry cat?" he asks, and she nods, laughing.

"You make him sound like a hobo!" she says, and he shrugs.

"Well, he did dress like one in that one episode." he says, and she nods, yawning tiredly. "Why don't you go into the extra bedroom and get some sleep." he tells her, looking down to find her already asleep on his shoulder.

"I like this better, too." he says, pulling a blanket over them both and slipping into a semi-sleep normal for transgenics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bigg's apartment

Tru opens her eyes to find it still night, and Biggs asleep with his arms around her. She smiles slightly at how peaceful he looks. She grabs the tiny backpack that she had packed in case of emergencies from where it lies on the floor, glad that Jessie remembered to bring it. She reaches in and grabs out an old, over-used, beat up pair of ballet slippers.

She looks at the clock, which tells her that it's 2 in the morning. She opens the door silently, slipping out into the hallway and hurrying to the nearest stair well, not aware of her follower. 

Biggs had woken up the moment that she had pulled away, however stealthy she was. But, out of habit, he stayed still, adjusting to his surroundings and watching her. And, like the cat he partially is, curiosity led him here, to the roof.

He watches her sit down in the midst of the dirty roof and tie on her pointe shoes, stretching a bit. She raises herself to her toes, her arms floating gracefully above her head as she spins around the rooftop, pure happiness coloring her face. It's no secret, just by watching her, that this is her dream. 

~And it's one that she could easily pursue~ he thinks, watching her doing a pirouette. She keeps spinning, going in a continuous circle for at least a minute. He smiles to himself, wanting nothing more than to keep watching her, but knowing that she probably doesn't want to be seen. ~She's too shy, too humble.~ he thinks, closing the door silently behind him and pulling out his cell phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Alec's apartment

"Go for Max, you insomniac." she says, walking out of the room so not to wake Alec. He mumbles something incoherently at the ring of the phone, but then falls back into a sleep, his hand moving to where Max had just lain.

"Biggs. Tru's here right now." he says, and she pauses, a bit confused.

"Um...you guys get it on? I didn't take her to be that kind of girl." she says, shrugging as she opens the fridge to scout out the food prospects. ~Ok, definitely eating out tomorrow.~ She shudders at the sight of the Question Container, one that's supposedly been there since before Alec moved in.

"She's not! I mean, we didn't, and she's not that kind of girl." he says, appalled. 

"Then what's so damn important that you had to call at 2 a.m.?" she asks, not like it mattered to her anyway. ~Damn shark DNA.~ She fills up a glass of water.

"Well, she's a mutant." he says, and Max chokes on her water. "Not transgenic, mind you, but-"

"How?" Max interrupts, and he stops her.

"Just wait, Max. God, you're almost as impatient as Alec." he tells her, and she smiles a little.

"Well, he does tend to rub off on you, doesn't he?" she asks, lost in thoughts about her man.

"Argh! Just...just come over here before work, okay?" he tells her, beyond frustrated now.

"Mmkay." she says, smiling wickedly as Alec walks out of the bedroom and wraps his arms around her. She turns off her phone, kissing her boyfriend happily. "I thought you were sleeping." 

"I was, but I missed you too much." he says, giving her that 'I'm a charmer' look. She snorts, hitting his shoulder lightly.

"Suck up." she says, then remembers why she walked out in the first place. "Biggs says we need to stop at his place before work. Something about Tru." she whispers as he bends down to kiss her.

Alec looks at the clock, ecstatic to see that they have a couple hours til work. "Well, we have some time before then. What do you propose we do?" he asks, playing innocent.

"I'm sure we'll think of something." Max grins, leading him back to the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

A/N: Hey guys! You said more M/A action, so I hope I fulfilled requirements!! Tell me what you think, even if it made you barf. Also, if you don't think that Tru should be a dancer, tell me. I just thought it kinda fits her character.

Well, review!

DISCLAIMER: too lazy...1st chapter.

Luv ya!

Molly Jeane


	3. Dancin' in the street

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Biggs's apartment 

Tru quietly sneaks back into the room, putting her shoes carefully back into the backpack and giving Biggs a glance. His black hair is mussed up from sleeping with his head against the couch, and his arm is still around where Tru had slept. She smiles. ~He's not so tough.~ she thinks, smiling at the womanizer looking so...well, so not-so-tough.

She sits back down on the couch, snuggling into Biggs's warm chest and pulling the blanket farther up on them. His arm pulls her closer in his sleep, and she leans up and kisses his cheek. "Thank you. For everything." she whispers, falling into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Biggs's PoV

She kissed me. Kissed me! Ok, so it was just a thank you, and I was asleep, but she still did. That counts for something, right? Manticore should have given us 'Women !01'. It'd sure as hell be more useful than this!

Ok, so that probably wouldn't even help- I never really paid attention to lessons anyway, and she definitely isn't a normal girl. I can't even think of anything good to say around her! For god's sake, we had an entire conversation about Tweety and Sylvester! She must think I'm a mindless idiot. You know, before this, I had a charm. Kinda like Alec, but now, I'm just a poor, confused fool who doesn't know how to act around women. Well, just the one woman. The rest I can handle. But, oddly enough, I kinda don't want to. Tru's just more interesting than those mindless sluts. I mean, don't get me wrong, they're fun, but who else could come to the conclusion that Tweety is a crossdresser? 

And now I'm rambling....great.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tru's Dream

_Daddy told me that he'd always be there to protect me. He said that I would never have to cry when he was around. But he's not around, and everything's different. Yesterday, I went to turn of my alarm clock, and it exploded. Luckily I got out of the way in time, but Momma got mad at me._

_I can control electricity. I'm not a normal girl. Something that I've known ever since the Plastics informed me that I'm a mutant. But now, apparently, it's true. Leave it to the blonde, Barbie-esque bitches to come up with a rumor that actually turns out to be both ungodly cruel and perfectly true. _

_I told Momma that I have this, and she got angry. Really angry. She hit me...I never thought she'd do that. And then...then she told the neighbors. They really don't like people being different, so they formed a lynch mob. _

_I saw the torches and guns from down the street, and barely had enough time to grab a backpack filled with some clothes and my ballet shoes, grab Jessie and her diaper bag, and get out before the stormed the place. I don't think I've ever run that fast._

_I could feel the heat of the torches as they passed by the bushes that we were hiding in...my best friends walked by, looking for a kill. They would have killed me, and Jessie, too...why me? I didn't do anything...._

_Maybe fate just made a mistake_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Bigg's apartment

Tru's eyes fly open, her hand covering her mouth as pictures of that night resurface, bringing with them the horrid feeling of being someone's prey. She runs to the bathroom, making it just in time to throw up the pizza she had just eaten. She leans against the wall, looking up to the doorway as soft footsteps come closer.

"You all right?" Biggs asks softly, and she nods, trying miserably to keep her bottom lip from quivering as memories continue to assault her. He looks into her eyes and realizes that she doesn't really realize where she is fully, that she's still lost in the nightmares that haunt her. He sits down next to her, taking her hand in his in a comforting way, his thumb rubbing the soft skin and soothing her. 

She closes her eyes, trying to push back the painful way her former life ended, and grips his hand tightly, needing to hold on to something to keep from letting go entirely. "Shh...it's ok. You're safe now, Tru." he says, understanding the hellish dreams that she's tangled in and trying to coax her out of her dream-state.

"I..I just wanted to be normal." she whispers, her voice strangled and hoarse. "I never asked..." she breathes in deeply, trying to gain composure, "I never asked to be like this. This is like some demented comic book, and I just want things to go back. But they can't, and...why can't life just be like.. just be easier?" she asks, cold sweat shimmering on her forehead. She doesn't bother to wipe off the tear that streams down her cheek, following the path that has been followed a million times, and probably will be a million more.

"Because mean people run the world." Biggs tells her, thinking back on his Manticore days with a shudder. She nods softly, too weak to do anything but listen. "And that means that people like you and me have to deal with the crap in life." He wraps his arm around her, protecting her from the big, scary world that's hurt them both so much.

"Life sucks." she bites out, and he wipes a tear from her cheek. 

"No arguments there." he says as her breathing evens out. He lifts her tiny frame and carries her to the couch, making a mental note to make her gain some weight. ~That can't be healthy.~ He covers her up with the blanket and sits next to her, guarding her from the nightmares that resonate within her. 

A soft knock on the door captures his attention, and he opens the door, revealing Max and Alec kissing. "You better not let Jessie see you two, or she might throw up." he warns, and they part, stepping inside, hand in hand. They sit at the kitchen counter, staring at Biggs expectantly. 

"So, what's up?" Max asks, and Biggs points to where Tru's turning in her sleep. "Oh...so, what's up?" she whispers, and Alec rolls his eyes. 

"Uh, we should probably wake her up." he says, not wanting to mess up Tru's story. He turns to the couch, where a very-much-awake Tru is folding the blanket. She looks up and them and smiles.

"Oh, hi." she says, waving at Max and Alec, who are dumbfounded by the fact that they couldn't hear an ordinary. "Um, Biggs...sorry, about before." she says, blushing as she remembers what an idiot she must have looked like.

"Hey, it's understandable. Don't worry about it." he says, truly feeling sorry for her. Max and Alec watch this conversation with confusion, not knowing what they're talking about and, quite frankly, bored.

"I kinda had a nightmare, of sorts." she shrugs, "So, why are you guys here? Am I interrupting like a morning ritual? Because I can just take Jessie to the YumYum Tree, and we'd be fi-" she stops talking as they turn around simultaneously and show her their barcodes. "Oh...well, you're probably curious about me, then." she says, lacking enthusiasm. They nod.

"Um...just a second, all right?" she asks, and they nod. She runs into the guest bedroom and reappears moments later, sleepy four-year-old in tow. 

"This better be good, because I get very angry when I don't have my sleep." Jessie says, jutting out her bottom lip in a pout that's enough to break any woman's heart. Well, if you're not immune to it. Tru just lifts the little girl onto a stool

"You'll get to show them how you're special in a minute." Tru says, and the little girl shuts up, grinning happily. She starts singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb", and Tru shushes her. "Ok, well...you guys are able to see really well in the dark and, like, jump really high, right?" she asks, and they nod. "Well, me and Jessie are kind of like that, but different. I know, vague statement of the year, right? It's like this: I can control electricity, and Jessie can control fire. I don't know why, or how, but we can." she says, and they stare at her, mouths slightly open.

"You have got to be kidding me." Max says, not believing a word of what they said. Tru smiles knowingly, understanding that it's hard to believe. Then again, you'd think that a part-feline, part-shark, genetically enhanced supersoldier would take it to be possible, but whatever.

"Jessie, demonstration, please." Tru tells her, and she runs to the middle of the room. She looks at Tru questioningly, and the older sister nods. Jessie smiles and raises her hands, a tiny ball of fire floating between them. The little girl smiles happily, sticking her tongue out as she mentally orders the ball to shape itself into a heart. "Thanks, Jess." Tru says, shooting a stream of purple energy from her hand into the tv to turn on some cartoons for her. "Watch this for a while, ok?" she asks, and her sister runs to the screen.

She turns to the counter, where Biggs is smirking, and Alec and Max are still staring at me, bewilderment shrouding their faces. "Um...so, that's our freak show. Any questions, comment, concerns?" she asks, smirking a little. Alec raises his hand, closing Max's mouth for her.

"So...damn, that's-" he starts, and she interrupts.

"Freakish, weird, scary? Yup, that's me." she says, resting her hand on her chin, a little bored. "So, you two are transgenics, too?" she asks, and they nod, still not totally functioning. "Cool. Look, while you two swallow this, I'm gonna go get my sister dressed. Just ask Biggs any questions; he's pretty much caught up." she says, grabbing the backpack and herding her little sister into the guestroom. 

Biggs looks at Max and Alec, who've recovered from the shock, and smiles. "Told ya." he says simply, earning him a slap on the shoulder from Max and a punch in the gut from Alec. "Ow..sorry. God, you didn't have to hit me." he whines, and they both roll their eyes.

"So, what's her story?" Alec asks, and the smirk on Biggs's face drops. 

"Her mom kicked her out when she found out what she could do. Jessie was still a baby, but her mom didn't mind sending a lynch mob after them." he says, anger flashing in his eyes. ~How could anyone hurt someone so sweet?~

"Calm down, buddy." Alec says, seeing the glint in his friend's eyes. "So, I guess you guys bonded or something?" he asks, raising his eyebrow and smirking, earning him a hit from Max. "Hey, you're supposed to love me!" he cries, rubbing the spot on his arm with a pout that disappears as she kisses his cheek.

"Or something." he says, reminded of Tru's innocent 'angel kiss' from the night before, and of holding hands with her to protect her from nightmares, and of-

"Hello?" Max shouts, waving a hand in front of his face. "You there?" she asks, smiling. Alec just smirks that annoying little smirk of his. Biggs opens his mouth to respond, but Tru walks into the hallway, carrying Jessie. "So, you think it was Familiars?"

"Ok, Jessie, what did I just say?" she asks, rubbing her temple with her hands as she sets the little girl down.

"Um...to be nice, and no more special-ness, and I still can't get a pony because you're still scared of them, and that if I'm good I get a cookie?" she rambles, and Tru nods. "Ok, you sit and color, ok?" she tells the girl, pulling out crayons and a coloring book from the backpack. 

Jessie immediately sits down in the middle of the room, not bothering to find a chair, just happy to color Cinderella a lovely shade of pink. Tru walks to the counter, leaning against it. "Sorry, guys. It's very hard to keep a little girl's attention for more than two minutes." she apologizes, and all of the transgenics shrug. "Ooh, I almost forgot." she whispers, casting a glance at the little girl, who's concentration is fully on polka-dotting the pumpkin coach. "Jessie gets a bit shook up when you mention the 'bad guys', so if you could not mention them, I'd really appreciate it." she says, putting bunny ears around the words 'bad guys'. They all nod.

"I just have one question, though.." Biggs says, and she looks at him curiously. "You're afraid of horses?" he laughs, and she blushes.

"Hey, you try another way to deter Jessie from wanting a pony!" she cries, and they all give her 'yeah, right!' looks. She blushes harder, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Well, they're just so huge, and their teeth are so huge! I have this improbable fear of one just biting off my head." 

"Well, they do have big teeth." Max says, trying to make sense of it. Alec just snorts amusedly, and Biggs watches Tru flush impossibly redder. 

"Well, in my defense, a girl I knew, her biggest fear in the whole world was Jello." Tru shrugs, smiling a bit. "Um, so, where do you guys work?"she asks, and they all groan.

"Jampony." Alec and Biggs, and Max simultaneously says, "Hell."

"Um, do you guys know if you're hiring? The bar gig alone's just not cutting it." Tru sighs, knowing that now both her and Jessie will need new clothes and necessities, for all they have right now is in the backpack.

"We could probably get Normal to hire you, if somebody mentions a certain gladiator dream." Biggs says, and Max snickers behind a hand. Tru's face scrunches up in confusion, and Biggs sends a smirk her way. "Normal, our uptight boss, is in love with Alec, and will consequently do anything to make Golden Boy happy."

"Pays to know the right people." Tru says, nodding. "So, you think I could get in?" 

"No problem. I hear that Crash pays crap anyway, so maybe you won't even need that job anymore." Max says, glad to be getting some much-needed estrogen in the workplace. "Besides, I think Normal set up a daycare." she says, and Tru's face lights up. 

"We're on our way now, if you want to come." Biggs says, hoping she'll come along. She nods, gathering up her sister as the others grab their messenger bags.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Street, Seattle.

"Oh, I'm bored, and I'm singing, and this is the bored song, and I still want a pony, but Tru's scared of them!" Jessie sings at the top of her lungs as they walk down the street, much to the embarrassment of Tru and the amusement of bystanders. 

"You're never gonna let that go, are you?" Tru groans, hitting Biggs lightly on the shoulder when he laughs. "You know, you aren't being very nice. Mean boy." she pouts perfectly, bottom lip sticking out adorably.

"Don't look at me like that!"he shouts, sheilding his eyes as Max and Alec watch on in amusement. "It looks like someone just killed your puppie!"

Alec puts his arm around Max, pulling her closer. "Don't they remind you of someone?" he asks, wondering where he saw two people so in denial. She nods, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yeah, but for the life of me I can't figure out who." she says, and they both shrug, going back to listening to the banter unfold between the two.

"Well, you're the one who supports a cat for trying to eat a poor defenseless bird when there's plenty of other food in the house!" Tru cries, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Hey, maybe the bird just tastes better, and the bird is so evil! Who wouldn't want to get revenge?" he asks, smirking at her getting mad. ~She's kinda cute when she's mad...the glint in her eyes, her fire...~

Max turns to Alec, who starts to hum the now familiar "Bored Song," composed by Jessie. She sings it at the top of her lungs, twirling around the entire party as they walk into JamPony. "Oh, I'm really, really bored, and I want a cookie, with sprinkles, and I want to be a princess, and I'm bored, and I'm dancing...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Sorry about update-lackage; Driver's Ed started, and is every night but Saturday and Sunday from 7-9 pm. Lucky me. BOO DRIVER'S ED!!!!

Hope you like, please review, and I'll try to have a new chapter of most of my fics up by Sunday night!!!

Luv ya to death!!!

mj XOXO


	4. Reunions, cookies, and a whole lot of No...

Tru's PoV

We walk into JamPony, and I immediately scoop Jessie into my arms so she doesn't get trampled by all of the workers riding around on their bikes. Max, Biggs, and Alec introduce me to people at an almost supersonic rate. "Bip! Bip! Bip!" I hear an annoyed voice yell, and I smile sadly, reminded of my Uncle Ray, who's favorite phrase was "Bip".

We turn the corner, and my mouth falls open when I see who's yelling at Max. "I will not hire somebody just because they're your friend, Missy Miss. In fact, that might deter me from hiring them." he says, pushing his glasses up farther on his nose and turning to look at me. He freezes mid-step, "Oh, Sweet Jesus! Tru?" I nod.

"Uncle Ray?" I ask, my voice coming out soft, full of hope. I pass Jessie to Max, practically throwing her in her arms as I run for a hug. "I didn't know where you were...Mom wouldn't tell me, and I tried to come and find an address, but she kept me in the house all the time." I say in a rush, needing him to know why I didn't take up his offer.

"Shh...it's ok." he says, patting my back awkwardly. "I never expected her to let you."

I nod, pulling back, blushing to find that the whole of JamPony is staring at me like I'm some sort of freak. Ok, so maybe the have a right to- I am pretty freakish. That doesn't take away my embarrassment, though. "Nothing to see here, people! Go back to work, or you'll all be looking for a new job!" he yells, and I feel two little arms secure themselves around my legs.

I stroke Jessie's hair softly, and turn to Max. "Can you watch her for a couple minutes?" I ask, and she nods, a grin spreading instantly over her face. I bend down to Jessie's height, and pull her arms off my legs. "Now, you're going to get to go play with Max. Won't that be fun?" I ask, and she nods. "Be a good girl." I tell her as she jumps on Max's back.

"I get to miss work." Max gloats to the boys, and they look at her, the picture of envy. "We'll help!" they cry, trailing after her.

Uncle Ray ushers me into what I assume is his office, shutting the door behind him. "Is she yours?" he asks, pulling out a chair for me to sit in.

"God, no!" I shake my head. "Mom's second." I say, and he nods sadly.

"Are you all right?" he asks, and I nod, pulling down my sleeves to cover the scars. He knows me too well, though, and catches my arm, pulling the sleeve back to reveal my intricate web of self-inflicted pain. "Tru," he says softly, looking me in the eye, "I thought you stopped. Why would you do this?"

I shake my head, unable to explain the need to feel, summing up everything bad that's happened in my life in 5 little words. "I want him to be alive." I whisper, not bothering to hide my tears in front of him. He nods, pulling me into a hug.

"Me too. Your father was a great man. He loved you so much." he says, his words my undoing. I sob into his chest, clinging tightly to the uncle I'd thought I'd lost forever.

"It's so hard." I choke out, pulling away so I can see him. "They're after me, Uncle Ray. I don't know if they'll ever stop. I'm not normal, Uncle Ray." I tell him, fear of rejection settling into my bones.

"How? Are you all right?" he asks, and I turn a desklight lamp on. His eyes fill with sympathy. "Oh, Trugirl, how did your mom react?"

"Sent a lynch mob after me." I tell him, lowering my eyes to the floor in shame. "I took Jessie and ran. I tried to find you, but I couldn't."

"Everything's all right now, you hear me?" he asks, an I nod, my eyes never leave the ground. His fingers trail over my scars, and I can hear the fatherly worry in his eyes. "But you have to stop this... did she feed you all right?"

I shrug, then shake my head. "You need to gain some weight, dear. Promise me you won't hurt yourself?" he asks, and I nod, resolution setting in. I won't hurt myself again. Jessie and Uncle Ray need me.

"I promise." I tell him, meaning it fully. I just don't know how to stop.

Jessie's PoV

"Why is my Tru talking to the yell-ish man?" I ask. The room is spinny and twirly from my spins. I fall down, and my dress poofs out, like Belle's in Beauty and the Beast when she's in the library. I want a cookie.

"She knows him, and I suppose they need to talk." Max tells me. Her hair's pretty. I think Aluc likes her...that's gross. I don't like boys. They're mean and they smell bad...I still want a cookie.

"Can I have a cookie?" I starts spinining again...I like spinining. Googly Gaglia, my best freind in the hole world, likes it too. She's spinining, too.

"All right...let's go see if Nat brought Sketch any more cookies." Mistur Aluc says, and I nod. "Ooh... piggy back ride!"

I just want a cookie...ooh! Googly Gaglia does, too.

Biggs PoV

It shouldn't be taking this long...I wonder what they're talking about. Who knew that Normal had a human side? The look on his face when he saw her...it was like he had just found his daughter or something.

Maybe he'll be different from now on...ok, who am I kidding? Normal never changes. But maybe he'll be a bit nicer. At least Tru has family now. It seems really important to her...

I just hope that she'll still want me around. It's funny, I've just met her, and I already don't know what I'd do without her. Life's funny like that, isn't it?

A/N: hey y'all! What'd ya think? Tell me the truth, and I'll give you a cookie!

I'm trying to really fit Biggs into this story, along with Max, Alec, and Tru. It's kind of hard to keep him in character, because he was on the show for such a short time we never really saw that much of him. I'm kinda self-doubting, so please tell me if you thought it sucked. Also, with the "Uncle Ray" thing- I hope you liked it, and to answer any questions right now, Normal's name is Reagan Ronald, shorten to Ray.

I luv ya so much, and wish me no harm from the devil(also known as Steve, my driver's ed instructor)!

Hugs, kisses, and all that jazz,

mj


	5. Pretty pretty princess

Tru shows up about an hour later, her eyes a bit red, but a soft smile rising on her face to overcome it. Don't let Jessie see that you were crying. she mentally orders herself, laughing to find Alec, Biggs, Max, and her sister in the middle of a very wicked game of tag.

"Having fun?" she asks, smiling, and all eyes fall on her. Not a moment after the words are out of her mouth, she's tackled by one very happy five year old.

"Tru!!! Guess what? Max got me a cookie, and Mister Alec gave me a piggy-back ride, and I was spinining, and I had fun!" she exclaims, not noticing that she pushed Tru to the floor and knocked the wind out of her, or that "Mister Alec", Biggs, and Max are trying very hard not to laugh.

"That's great, sweetie. Um...could you get off of me?" Tru asks politely, gasping for air and scowling at the other's smirks. Jessie hops off, twirling around excitedly. "Jessie, would you like it if we stayed in Seattle?" Tru asks, praying to whatever power controls the universe that Jessie agrees. The little girl squeals excitedly, twirling happily around the room.

"Yay!!! oh, Tru, Googly Gaglia likes it so much here, too! She said that we'd stay here!!" Jessie cries ecstatically. The others just look at her with confusion, and Tru rolls her eyes, not believing that they haven't caught on yet.

"Googly Gaglia's her best friend, only no one else can see her." Tru says, and they all nod, but, being from Manticore, quite frankly don't get it. Jessie just nods proudly.

"Yupyup. She's my best friend in the whole, wide world, and she looks just like me, only she's purple and has yellow hair, and she's a space cowgirl." she says, skipping in a circle around Tru. She just rolls her eyes.

"Well, they say that having an imagination is good." she says, trying to convince herself that her sister isn't a total loony."I need to go look for an apartment. Would one of you guys mind watching Jess? You'd get the afternoon off, and, quite frankly, I think that she'd scare off the landlords."

"Alec and I can." Max says, looking at Biggs, silently urgng him on.

Tru turns to Normal. "Uncle Ray, would it be okay if Max and Alec watched Jess? It's almost closing, anyway."

"Fine, just make sure the morons don't hurt her." he says, a touch of concern showing before he goes back to yelling at the workers.

"If you want, I can help you find one in a good neighborhood." he says, and Tru nods, happy to have company.

"That'd be great. Thank you." she says, smiling brightly. "Well, shall we?" she asks, hugging Jessie goodbye and ordering her to be a good girl.

Jessie smiles evilly, then puts on her 'I'm too cute to say no to' face. "Alec, wanna play a game?" she asks, dropping her backpack of tricks on the floor. He shrugs and agrees, not realizing the little one's devious plans. Max just grins from the background, agreeing to play, just to see what Jessie has up her sleeve.

"What game are we going to play?" Alec says, getting comfortable from his spot on the floor.

"I'm a pretty princess!" Jess yells happily, and Max smirks. Alec's face contorts in confusion.

"Uh, that's great, Jessie, but what game are we going to play?" he asks, and Max grins. Jessie smiles innocently.

"'I'm a pretty princess.' Don't you listen, Mister Alec?" she asks, wagging her finger at him, and Max bites the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing. Think about horrible things...landslides, earthquakes, White in a speedo. She bursts out laughing at Alec's expression when Jessie pulls out a plastic tiara, complete with rhinestones.

"Oh, no. I'm not going to do that." Alec says, jumping to his feet. Tears spring to Jessie's eyes, and her bottom lip starts to quiver. Oh, god, I'd hate to see her Christmas morning. Max muses, her stomach hurting from laughing so much. "Fine, I'll do it...just don't look at me like that!" he cries, shielding his eyes from the well-practiced, patented Jessie puppy-dog pout.

"How do we play?" Max asks, and Jessie smiles happily, clapping her hands with excitement.

"Alec, you get to wear the crown. You're Princess Nizbit. Max, you get to be Princess Fiona, and you get the feather boa. I get the pretty beads. I'm Queen Jessie of Oz." she says proudly, distributing the objects with much carefulness.

Sketchy walks by, choking down his laughter at Alec in a tiara. "Alec, man, what are you doing?"

"Playing a game." he deadpans, looking to Jessie for help. She grins, holding out a purple sequined purse and matching hat.

"Wanna play?" she asks, smiling adorably.

"No way, man. That's whack." he says, stopping when she puts on her puppy dog face.

"Please, mister? My sister's gone, and I'm lonely, and I just want to play a game!!!" she wails, and he sits down, grabbing the hat and stuffing it on his head, holding the purse daintily.

"Fine." he says, and Alec smirks, happy for another man to be in on the game.

"Yay!!! okay, you're Princess Daisy...."

Normal watches on, for once not at all mad that his employees are not working. Well, maybe that's because he's the one with the video camera.

Tru's apartment

"Um, how long do you think that's been in there?" Tru asks as she looks into the fridge in her new apartment, greeted by a rank smell and one very old pickle jar. Biggs grimaces as the smell reaches him, and closes the door.

"Let's just get you a new one." he says, and she nods, taping a warning on the door. She looks around the apartment. It's pretty big, with two bedrooms and a large living room.

"Thank you, Biggs. For helping me. I don't know how I can ever repay you." she says, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Not a problem. I'm just glad you decided to stay. It's kind of awkward with Max and Alec all couple-y." he covers, and he smiles.

"I think they're cute." she says. Suddenly realizing something, the color drains out of her face.

"What's wrong?" Biggs asks.

"I forgot to tell Jessie not to play 'I'm a pretty princess.'" she groans, setting off for a run to JamPony, which is a mere two blocks away.

JamPony

"Okay, Princess Nizbit, hop on one foot in a circle, but you have to quack like a duck, too." Jessie says, now 'It'. Alec stands up, and jumps around, in his tiara, quacking like a duck on drugs. Jessie giggles happily, followed by Max and Sketch.

"Okay, Princess Daisy's turn." she says, and Sketch groans. Jessie thinks for a moment, then grins evilly. "You have to dance like a ballerina and humn music." Max and Alec truy to hold back their laughs, but when you see a grown man in a purple sequined hat and matching purse acting like a ballerina, it's pretty hard to keep a straight face.

Tru walks into JamPony, groaning inwardly at the sight that greets her. Alec in a tiara, Sketchy in the infamous purple hat and purse, Max in a feather boa, and the mastermind, her little sister, in old Mardi Gras beads, ordering Max to crawl around and bark like a dog. And, to top it all off, there was Uncle Ray, taping it all!!!

"Biggs, I think I'm gonna need backup for this." she says, only to find him rolling on the ground in laughter when Sketch starts singing the ABC's and shimmying. She pulls him to his feet with surprising strength, and walks to the children's play area, only occupied by those in the game. Apparently there aren't any more people with children here. Tru muses, setting her face in a determined mask and striding up to the table.

"Hi, Tru!" Jessie says brightly, praying for a way out of punishment.

"Jessie, what did I tell you about being good?" she asks the little girl, who shrugs.

"You said that I should be good, and I was." she says, and Tru rolls her eyes.

"Jessie, how many times do I have to tell you that being good means that you can't force people to do stuff by using your puppydog lip?" she asks, and Jessie puts on her puppydog face. "Nuh uh, girly. Not gonna work. I know you way too well."

"Sorry...I just wanted someone to play with." she says, and smiles at the table. They smile proudly. "They're really good at 'I'm a pretty princess', Tru!"

"I don't mind playing with her. She's a doll." Max says, and Sketch and Alec nod.

"Yeah, she's pretty cool for a little kid." Sketch says, and Tru looks around helplessly.

"All right. But Jess, if you force anyone with the lip again, you won't get a cookie for a whole day." she says, and Jessie gasps.

"A whole day? I'd die!" the little girl cries, and Tru nods.

"Then maybe just one cookie." she says, and Jessie nods. Normal just tapes it all, happy to actually have something to use the camera for. Assuring himself that there would be plenty of home movies yet to come.

"Thanks for watching her, guys. I really appreciate it." she says, and the guys all nod, parting with their costumes sadly. "You want to see our new place?"

Max, Alec, and Biggs agree, but Sketch needs to meet up with a "source", and OC has a date with a "fine new lickety boo". Tru and Jessie say goodbye to Normal, and they head off to their new apartment, Biggs, Max, and Alec in tow.

Jessie sings the "Bored Song", adding in lines about how pretty Princess Daisy is and how wonderful Alec looks in a tiara, while the others talk in the living room, sitting on an old couch and a rug on the floor. Max and Alec, not a big shocker here, are lost in couple-land, when suddenly Biggs gets a great idea.

"Hey guys," he says, drawing their attention away from each other's mouths. "Why don't we show the girls TC?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Max says, standing up and stretching much like the cat she is. Jessie skips up to Alec, smiling.

"You make a very pretty princess, Mister Alec." she says, batting her eyelashes.

"What do you want, little one?" he asks, knowing her too well already.

"Can I have a piggy back ride?" she asks, and he rolls his eyes, but turns around and lets her hop on anyway. "Mister Alec, you're my favorite boy in the whole world."

"It's good to be adored." he says, earning him hits from Max, Biggs, and Tru. "Ow..."

A/N: ok, so it sucked- sorry, guys!!! my brother totally almost deleted this whole chapter!!!! but luckily I saved it. Phew!! Tell me whatcha think, unless it makes me cry- that's just plain mean!

DISCLAIMER: not mine, shut up.

I luv ya guys so much!!! hugs, kisses, and cookies all around!!!!

Live fast.

Cheer hard.

Die laughing.

Molly Jeane :D


	6. When the going starts to get rough

WARNING: Mentions of child abuse later in chapter. Nothing graphic, just a heads up. A/N is at the bottom of the chappie.

Sewers, Seattle

"Ew! It's smelly!" Jessie cries from atop Alec's shoulders, wrinkling her nose in disgust as the group walks through the sewers. Tru nods, waving her hand in front of her nose.

"Usually sewers don't smell too good, Jess." she sighs, jumping a bit as a rat runs in front of her and pulling the straps of their backpack higher up on her shoulders. "Don't you remember how the Ninja Turtles complained a lot?" she asks, and Jessie looks at Googly Gaglia, who's walking next to Alec, and giggles.

"I just thought they were whiney." she says, and Googly Gaglia's imaginary laughter fills the sewer. Everyone in the tunnel, aside from Jessie and her imaginary friend, roll their eyes. Tru turns to Biggs as Jessie rambles herself into an argument with Googly Gaglia about if Donatello or Raphael was the captain of the TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for those of you who aren't fanatic five year olds).

"So, on to TC?" Tru asks nervously, and Biggs sends her a reassuring smile. She toys with the hem of her shirt, picking off strings to ease away the apprehensiveness. I hate being new places...I should just know not to go anywhere new by now. she reprimands herself mentally.

"After the sewers, it gets better. I promise." he says, lifting the manhole cover and climbing out first, giving her his hand to help her up. "See?"

"You're right. This almost makes up for the rats." she smiles, taking it all in. Transgenics walk through the streets, not afraid to be themselves- X's, transhumans, anomalies, all are represented. Tru's smile grows, and she's not in the least bit scared of the people so feared by most. I'm home. she thinks, and Biggs watches on, knowing how it feels to finally have someone to relate with.

"Welcome to Oz." Max says, sending Jessie a smile. The little girl beams happily, singing the "Unbored and I'm in Termninal City and Tru still doesn't like horsies much and Princess Nizbit's beautyful" song. Tru just groans, while everyone who passes them stifles a laugh.

The head into HQ, Biggs and Tru both not realizing that he's still holding her hand from when he helped her onto the street, and Jessie singing, perched on Alec's back. She looks at Max, staring at her hair, observing it. "Googly Gaglia says your hair's prettyful." she says shyly, and Max smirks.

"Oh, um...tell her thank you." she says, sending Alec a confused look. How, exactly, can you address an invisible five-year-old? Jessie giggles, shaking her head.

"I can't do that, silly. She's on Neptune, playing with the ponies." she says, drawing odd looks from everyone besides Tru. They look to her for help, and she just laughs.

"Space cowgirl, remember?" she says as they walk into HQ, the heart of the transgenic city.

"Hey guys," a dark haired, tan man who looks awfully a lot like Max greets them. "Who're you?" he asks bluntly, earning him a hit in the ribs from the blonde girl next to him.

"Tru. The munchkin goes by Jessie." she says, smiling nervously.

"Syl, and bigmouth here is Krit." she says, smiling at her boyfriend. "So, you guys X's?"

"We're special." Jessie says, and Tru reaches up and holds out a cookie. Jessie grabs madly for it, but Tru keeps it just out of reach.

"You have to be quiet." she says, and Jessie nods, eyeing the cookie hungrily.

"Yupsyups. Mmm....cookie!" she practically drools, and Tru looks at her, determined to win.

"No bored song?" she asks, and Jessie shakes her head. She hands the little girl the cookie, and Jessie squeals happily, munching on the cookie while watching Tru be all shy-ish.

"Sorry. Need her to be quiet so that I can explain without her ranting." she says, and they nod, all glancing in turn to the little girl, who waves. "We can do things that normal people can't, but we weren't created in a lab. I don't even know what we are, to be honest. I guess mutants would be the correct term." she muses, shaking her head. "Anyway, Biggs said we should visit, so we're here." she concludes, and Jessie nods, wanting to be in on the story, too.

"Well, welcome to TC." Krit says, and Syl smiles at Jessie.

"Thanks...anyone up for giving me a tour?" she asks, wanting to get familiar with it. Biggs nods.

"Sure, I'll show you around." he says, and Jessie pouts.

"I don't want a tour-y thingamabober. I'm bored." she whines, drawing each word into about fifteen syllables.

"Jess, how many times have I told you that you should be polite and not pout in public? Besides, pouting isn't pretty," she says, and Biggs smirks, recalling how cute Tru was when she pouted. "Anyway, wouldn't you like to go for a nice walk?" Jessie shakes her head firmly, crossing her arms. Krit has to hold Syl back from running to play with her.

"I just want to play 'I'm a pretty princess' with Googly Gaglia." she says, and beside her, a very purple (imaginary) girl nods. Syl smiles happily.

"I'll watch her." she says, and Jessie sends her a smile and waves, and Krit gives, too.

"Really? Oh, thank you guys sooo much." Tru says, warning Jessie to be a good girl. She hands the little girl her crown from the backpack, and she squeals. "Oh, and Krit...stay away from 'I'm a pretty princess', no matter how much she wants to." she says, and he nods.

"You coming?" Biggs says, pretending to walk away without her. She runs to catch up with him, twirling so that she's in front of him, blocking the door.

"It's not polite to leave without a lady. Didn't anybody every tell you that?" she asks, smirking. He rolls his eyes.

"I took an entire course on Etiquette, thank you." he says, leading her into the streets, "But I knew you would run after me..." he says, and her jaw practically drops to the floor. She looks at him with those big, violet eyes, and smirks. And he knows he's going down in this verbal spar.

"Please. I don't need a man to make me happy." she says, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. She looks at him, seemingly lost in thought. "Then again, even if I did, you probably wouldn't be much help."

Biggs stills for a moment and looks at her. She giggles and sprints off, trying to find a hiding place before he catches her, as he finally realizes that she's gone, through his apparent shock at being burned (Manticore-alums are usually unbeatable in the wit department), and goes in for the hunt.

She runs through the streets, trying to find a good place to hide, but knowing that his transgenic eye will scour everything. She finally spots an old cardboard box that a normal-sized girl wouldn't fit in, and distorts her body slightly so that she can slide easily inside.

She hears his footsteps echoing down the street, slowing down and going into stealth mode. She feels him walk by her, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. "Come on, Tru, I know you're here." he says, dismissing the box, because there's no way that a grown person could fit in it.

She silently eases herself out of the box, stepping out into the middle of the street. "You're supposed to say 'Olly Olly Oxenfree!'" she shouts to him just as he's about to turn the corner. He whips around, grinning.

"Well, I've only played Escape and Evade, I'm not quite used to the Ordinaries version." he says, walking towards her slowly as the skies open up and it starts raining, not an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence in Seattle.

"I'm sure Jessie would be glad to teach you." Tru laughs, not caring that she's in the middle of a thunderstorm. They come to about six inches apart, and just freeze, neither one knowing what to do or say.

"Let's get inside before you catch pneumonia." he says, and they hurry into a yet-to-be-restored building, hurrying up the stairs and into one of the open rooms.

Tru stops when she enters the room, forgetting about everything for a moment- TC, Biggs, the rain, the whole world- as she sees the room. Lightening strikes, lighting the room through the windows, giving Tru an incredible rush, as it always does. But this time, she ignores it, searching the room.

Light colored wood lies on the floor, a flat surface just waited to be danced upon. An old couch and a few chairs litter the room, but they could be easily removed. She closes her eyes, picturing a bar attached to the wall over by the window and mirrors placed in the front of the room. Perfect.

"Watcha thinking about, Tru?" a deep voice asks from behind her, startling her out of her daydream. She turns around, tripping and falling into his arms.

"Graceful, Tru. Real graceful." she mutters to herself, straightening out. Biggs's arms stay wrapped around her. She looks at him, confused as to why he won't let her out. He just smirks, that cute little smirk that drives her crazy...Stop it, Tru!! You're on the verge of obsessing!!!

"You never answered my question." he explains, letting his arms drop. She laughs softly, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

"It's stupid, really. You don't want to hear it." she says, blushing shyly.

"Sure I do." He tells her, leaning against the doorway.

"It's just...this is a space that dancers dream about." she says, blushing harder as she says it. He looks around, imagining her dancing around the space, and she walks over to the window and watching the rain.

"You dance?" he asks, feigning shock. She nods, blushing to the roots of her hair.

"Well, it was really the only thing I got a chance to do when I was back at home." she says, then stops, realizing her mistake too late. She looks at Biggs, who motions for her to come sit down with him. She walks to the couch, sitting down with a sigh, realizing that the truth will come out sooner or later.

"My mom wasn't really the nicest lady in the whole wide world. She didn't let me outside after my dad died." she says, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to protect herself from the memories. "I guess she really didn't want anyone to know that she was old enough to be a mother." she says with a hollow laugh that would send a pang of sadness through even the iciest of hearts. "Or maybe I just wasn't good enough."

"Tru, don't say tha-" he starts, but she cuts him off, unable to tell the story unless not interrupted.

"It is, I've accepted that, Biggs. She didn't love me, and that's ok. Just listen, if you want to know. I can't do this if you interrupt." she says, and he nods, putting his arm around her. "She never let me out of our backyard, which was surrounded by a ten-foot-high fence, for privacy reasons. I couldn't do anything without her watching me, criticizing me, punishing me. But one thing I could do was dance." She says, her eyes lighting up. "It kept me safe from her. As long as I danced, I could hide from her, and she wouldn't get mad at me, because she said that all dancers are skinny, and that I would be skinnier if I was a dancer." she says, subconsciously squeezing the muscle in her stomach and shuddering, truly believing that she's fat.

"She cut out pictures of old movie stars, from before the Pulse, and taped them all over my room." she says, unshed tears glimmering in her eyes as another bolt of lightening strikes, lighting the room in that weird blue-ish purple light for a split second. "She wouldn't let me eat until I was skinny enough, which was never. I had to sneak food from the pantry. Or when we had company, she'd tell me to eat in front of them, and throw it up." she says, and Biggs tightens his hold on her, not able to believe that someone could do this to their child.

"I was never good enough for her...my own mother didn't even love me." she whispers, still unable to believe that. "Am I that bad of a person?" she asks Biggs, fear and rejection written over her face, the eyes of a scared little girl replacing the strong, determined ones that normally lie there.

"You are the best person I know." he tells her truthfully, and he pulls her into his lap. She lays her head on his chest, hugging his waist tightly. "No one could not love you, even if they tried." he tells her, and she closes her eyes, too tired to cry.

"I just want things to be good again." she whispers hoarsely, trying to stay strong. "It should have been me who died." she tells him, a sentence that has haunted her since she was six.

Biggs just holds her, trying to take in all that she's said. One word comes to mind- Hell. That's what she's been through. His Tru...her pain haunts her....his Tru? He wonders, pulling her tighter as another lightening bolt strikes. He gets a shock from her, but doesn't care, and keeps stroking her hair, whispering that she'll be all right.

God, life sucks...

A/N: hey, y'all!! How'd you like? I have to get off the computer like yesterday, so this is gonna be short- tell me whatcha think, PLEASE!!! I love, love LUV input, so just say the word and I'll try to find a way to make you happy. Also, please tell me if you think that Biggs and Tru are progressing weird.

As always, luv ya forever!!!!

Moll


	7. Once upon a time

Headquarters

"I'm Jessie!!" the little girl cries, and the giant lizard watches her, plastic tiara and all, warily. Syl shrugs at Mole, who looks at her questioningly.

"We're watching her for Tru, a newcomer." she says, and Krit backs her up. Mole looks at her scrutinizingly, as she starts doing nearly-perfect ballerina spins. Max and Alec, who are sitting at a table nearby, planning a raid, share a look.

She stops doing pirouettes around Mole and looks at him, giggling. "You're green." she says, sitting Indian-style on the floor and resting her hand on her chin, her eyes closing a little.

"Is that bad, girlie?" he asks, and she shakes her head tiredly, smiling at him. The hard look on his face drops, and he pulls up a chair, eager to listen to her.

"Nope-nope. I like green. It's purty." she says, trying not to let sleep claim her. Mole looks down, grinning proudly.

"I like it, too. But not as much as guns." he muses, and she shakes sleep off, smiling.

"Or fire." she adds, and he nods. "I really like fire." she says, and Mole pats her head a little roughly.

"That's a girl." he says, and Syl and Krit, who are now sitting at Max and Alec's table, just roll their eyes at Mole's newfound affection for the little girl.

"Ooh, or cookies!" Jessie says, toying with the end of her pigtails.

"And explosives." Mole says gruffly, and Jessie nods, smiling that little evil smile of hers.

"And explosive-cookies!" she says, yawning. She stands up, trying to make the sleepiness leave her. She starts dancing again, twirling around like there's no tomorrow.

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?" Max, being the curious person that she is, decides to ask her. Syl, Alec, and Krit all watch intently. Jessie just smiles.

"From my-Tru, silly." she says, stopping and falling down to the ground in a heap, giggling. "She hasn't taught me how to get un-dizzy yet."

"Tru dances?" Max asks, surprised. Jessie nods, laying herself out on the ground and counting the pretty tiles in the ceiling.

"She's a pretty ballerina." Jessie says, finally falling asleep, her battle lost.

Old Building, TC

Tru looks up at Biggs, her violet eyes filled with embarrassment, but something else. Something that Biggs can't decipher. He's mesmerized by them. "Ugh, your shirt's all wet and ick." she says, her way of apologizing. He shrugs, that fact going by him.

"The rain would have done it anyway." he says, and she smiles a little, giving him a little hug.

"Thank you." she says, squeezing him and then releasing him, looking into his eyes. "You're the only one I've ever told about my incredibly messed up life." she tells him, trust showing in her slights smile. "I feel safe when I'm with you."

"I'm glad you told me, Tru. It's gotta be hell having this stuff eating at you." he tells her, pushing a piece of auburn hair out of her eyes. "You're the only one I let my guard down for." he says, and she puts her arms around his neck, needing something to keep her balance besides his arms around her, but also wanting to be close.

"I'm scared of getting close to people." Tru says quietly, her phobia of losing someone so very real. Her violet eyes gaze into his brown ones, and she sees the same feeling reflected in his eyes. "They all go away then." she says, trying not to think about her daddy.

"Tru, if you want me to stay around, then I'll never leave." he says, and she looks up at him, tears coming unbidden. Biggs, not knowing that this would mean this much to her, takes a breath.

"Promise?" she asks, and he nods, unable to mean the words more.

"Promise, Tru." he whispers, and both realize how close they are. He leans in a little, and she tilts her head up. Their lips meet in a soft kiss, the kind that promises many more to come. Not harsh, but gentle and without pressure. They break apart at the sound of lightening, when a shock issues from Tru's lips to Biggs's.

"Sorry...electricity." she says, putting her hand to her lips and blushing.

"It's fine." he says, looking out the window. The dark night sky is lit up only with the occasional flash of lightening. "We should probably go to HQ before the weather gets any worse." he says, and she nods, standing up slowly, not wanting to be out of his arms.

"Here," he says, pulling his leather coat over the both of them to keep them dry. She smiles at him and grabs his hand as they head out the door, making a mad dash to Headquarters in water two inches deep.

HQ

"Max, Alec, the water level's getting pretty high. It's two inches out on the streets." Dix tells them, and Max groans. "They're talking about closing roads if it gets much worse." he says, and she sighs.

"Great. Normal will kill me." she says, leaning her head in her hands. The squish of wet shoes sounds nearby, but she dismisses it.

"I could probably put in a good word." Tru says, still holding Biggs's hand. Max looks up, relief painted across her features.

"Thanks." she says, flashing her a smile, but Tru's attention turns to Jessie, who's sleeping on a bench nearby, using someone's sweatshirt as a pillow.

Tru walks over, and, as if sensing her, Jessie wakes up, as little children tend to do when a person they love is nearby. Biggs walks with her, not able yet to give up her hand.

"Hey, baby," Tru says, a maternal look on her face. She strokes Jessie's cheek, as mothers do to their kids, and Jessie leans into her touch sleepily. "We're spending the night here, because the weather's bad out. Ok?"

"Tru, tell me a story." Jessie says, and all of the 09er's in the room are reminded immediately of their childhood days, when Ben would tell them stories explaining the whole world.

"You're going to have to narrow that down, sweetie." Tru laughs softly, sitting down next to the bench and taking Jessie's hand with her empty one. Biggs sits down, leaning against the wall. "Which one?"

"Tell me my favorite." she mumbles, partially asleep already. Tru stiffens slightly, something noticed by all the transgenics, and then starts.

"Once upon a time, there was a princess, who lived in a beautiful castle." she starts, and Jessie immediately interrupts her.

"Was she pretty?" she asks, craving information. Tru smiles, but it's mirthless, a memory she abandoned.

"It depends on who's telling the story." she says, and Biggs squeezes her hand. She looks at him, reassurance in her gaze, as if to say, 'Don't worry, I pretend it's just a story, too'.

"I think she's beautiful, Tru." Jessie tells her, and Tru smiles. "Tell me more."

"She lived in a beautiful castle, but her mother, the Evil Queen was, well, evil." Tru says, not realizing that nearly everyone within hearing distance is listening in. "She hurt the princess, tried to break her."

"But the princess wouldn't let her, would she?" Jessie asks, childish glee in her voice at the 'good guy' winning, as they all inevitably do in storybooks.

"I'm getting to that." she says, smiling. "But the princess didn't give up. She wouldn't let the Queen win, no matter how hard she tried. Because remember what I told you?" she asks, and Jessie nods, happy to help in telling the story.

"Good should always win." she says, and Tru nods.

"That's right, darling. Because evil needs to get its butt kicked." she says, smiling a sad sort of smile. "So the princess didn't give up. She fought with everything in her being, trying to make the Queen lose the fight. But The Queen stayed strong."

"Tell about the dancing, Tru?" Jessie asks excitedly, and Tru complies.

"Dancing was the one thing the princess could do without being blamed for something, or punished for something she didn't do. So she danced often, so that she could escape the Queen's wrath." she says, staring off into her memories, trying to draw something from them for the story.

"How did she get away, Tru?" Jessie asks, and Tru laughs at her impatience.

"Do you want to tell the story, missy?" she asks, and Jessie shakes her head.

"No, you tell stories really good." she says, looking at Tru with sleepy, curious eyes. "I just want the princess to be ok." she tells her, "Princesses shouldn't get hurt. They're too nice and pretty. Evil people are just evil." Jessie says stubbornly, and Tru nods.

"You're right. But it's not only princesses who shouldn't get hurt- it's everyone who hasn't done something wrong." she says, and images of people who shouldn't have been hurt flash through the minds of the transgenics. Rachel. Tinga. Brin. Zack. Everyone who didn't make the escape, the ones who did and died trying to fit in. "That's why good should always prevail. It has to, for the world to be right. So the princess came up with a plan. She had to get away, but the only way that she could was right under the Queen's nose." Jessie smiles excitedly, shooting Biggs a happy look.

"This is my favorite part." she says, clapping her hands excitedly. He smirks at her childish glee at the story. "Tell me how she got away."

"Well, the only time she was allowed outside was when she danced. But even then, there was a giant wall surrounding the palace, to keep her inside. So one day, she put her plan into action. She danced her little heart out that day, happier than ever at the prospect of getting out. With one last look at her palace, she leapt over the fence and away from the evil Queen, into the world." Tru says, and Jessie's eyes light up- well, as much as someone's can when they're half asleep.

"Is the princess happy now?" she asks, and Biggs looks at Tru intently, wanting to hear her answer. She smiles as Biggs, and nods to Jessie.

"Yeah, she is...she's finally found a perfect kingdom." she says, and Jessie smiles, letting sleep take her over- almost. By now HQ is nearly empty, only filled with a few people who don't have apartments in TC to camp out in- Max and Alec and a few X's across the room, but they slowly filter out, leaving just the three.

"And they all lived happily ever after?" she asks, and Tru smiles.

"Of course, silly goose. This is a fairytale, after all." she says, and Jessie nods. Tru takes a stuffed animal out of the backpack she brought and hands it to Jessie. The little girl grabs for it, curling up in a ball and falling asleep.

Tru stands up, stretching, tired herself. She sends him a smile. "I swear, no matter how many times I tell that story, she'll never get sick of it" she says, rolling her eyes.

"Well, it's a good story." he says, then, feeling too girly for admitting that, "I mean, if you like princesses and all that."

"I won't laugh if you like princesses, Biggs..." Tru says, then chuckles, "Well, okay, I will laugh, but I'll try to hide it."

"Hey, now normally I don't like princesses, but the one in that story sounded pretty damn hot." he says, and Tru blushes.

"You think?" she asks, and he nods, walking a little closer.

"Most definitely." he says, and she takes a step closer, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You think she'll find her Prince Charming?" she asks softly, biting her lip with uncertainty.

"Of course. It is a fairytale, after all." he says, closing the distance between them.

A/N: what'd ya think? Hoped you liked it!!! thank you to all of my beautiful reviewers, who make me all warm and fuzzle-y inside. Send a review my day and make me one very happy little girl.

New chappie of Along Came Trannies is up, just so ya know. Review me!!!!

Hugs and kisses all around!!!

Moll


	8. Because we all need a 'Happily Ever Afte...

WARNING: Mentions of child abuse, nothing sexual, and not too graphic.

Rooftop, HQ

Max stands on the rooftop, letting the rain fall over her and watching the city from her new High Place. She hears his footsteps behind him, but she ignores them, hoping that he'll go away and leave her alone. But, as they say, misery loves company, and Max is about as miserable as you can get.

"Tell us a story, Ben......" Memories echo through her mind, and she leans into the arms that wrap themselves around her. "Maxie, I know we're immune to pretty much everything and all, but we're part cats- how can you stand the rain?" Alec asks, hoping that she'll come out of the shell that she's surrounded herself in.

"I needed to think." she says quietly, staring into the horizon to avoid looking into the face that's a mirror image of the one who's life she ended forever. Granted, he did ask her, but still, she takes the blame all on herself. Alec nods, knowing why she's upset.

"You all right?" he asks, and she nods, leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder.

"I just wish we could have saved them all..." she says, turning around and wrapping her arms around him, finding solace in his touch. "Tru was right. Innocent people shouldn't get hurt. They should have been okay."

"Shh, it's ok now, Maxie. We'll be ok." he tells her, rubbing her back and kissing her forehead, soothing her. "They won't get us. We'll take care of our own." he whispers, hoping what he's saying will deem true.

HQ

"Tru, My-Tru, wake up..." Jessie whispers childishly loud, kind of ruining the whole point. She shakes her sister's shoulder lightly. "Tru!." she says, pouting. Tru, hearing her voice, wakes up, checking for tears and plastering on a smile.

"Hey, Jessie. What are you doing up? People sleep at night, silly." she says, hoping her sister will just go to sleep. But, like Tru, she has problems sleeping.

"Sleep doesn't like me, Tru, and I'm bored. Wanna play?" she asks, and Tru smiles, shushing her.

"You have to be quiet, and tomorrow you have to take a nap. What do you want to do?" she asks, and Jessie smiles happily, thoroughly unaware that it's two in the morning.

"I wanna dance, Tru." she says, and Tru nods, wondering why she didn't already know that. She digs out the ballet slippers she got Jessie for Christmas. Jessie lunges for them, wagging her finger at Tru. "I want you to play, too." she says, pulling Tru's slippers out and handing them to her. Tru looks around HQ, making sure that everyone is asleep and poking Biggs for good measure, nodding and putting on her shoes when he doesn't flinch.

"Let's find someplace where there aren't people, Jessie." Tru says, even though everyone stuck in HQ is asleep. She grabs the little girl's hand, and decides to leave her backpack there. They head to the parking garage attached to HQ, glad that they don't have to go on the streets, which are still kind of flooded.

"Always stretch, Jessie." Tru tells her, motioning so that she can learn. "Reach as tall as you can, and then go all the way down to your toes." She instructs the little girl, who follows obediently. Neither notice their audience.

"Tru, let me watch you dance." Jessie says, and Tru blushes, hating people see her dance. "Please?" she begs, and Tru relents, nodding.

"Fine, but not for long." she says going onto her toes and doing a perfect pirouette. Jessie claps, and Tru sends her a smiles, but then gets lost in the dance, doing a kick and then a leap through the air. The only sound to be heard in the old, dusty parking lot is the sound of gasps from Jessie at every move, and the sound of her pointe shoes slapping on the pavement.

Sera and Holly, two X7's, watch from the door, entranced by the woman dancing. Biggs, who woke up just as soon as Tru pulled herself from his arms, finds them, and smiles at the pair of dancers, as well as their audience. An idea forms itself in his head, and he smiles, trying to form a plan in his head to make it a reality.

He walks back to HQ, already working out a plan. Sera and Holly, who hadn't realized that he was behind them, look at each other and start the trek back to HQ, still amazed at what they saw- the talent, the power, the grace of just one person affecting them more than any gun-training seminar. "I want to be a dancer." Sera says, and Holly nods.

"Me too. That was incredible." she tells Sera, who nods, yawning sleepily.

Abandoned parking garage, TC

"You getting sleepy again?" Tru asks Jessie, who nods, falling asleep. Tru stops dancing, untying her shoes and handing them to Jessie, who holds onto them for dear life. Tru picks up the little girl, who pops her thumb in her mouth and immediately falls asleep in her arms. "Come on, honey. You need to get more sleep."

Jess just mumbles something angrily in her sleep, probably whining that she gets enough sleep as it is, and Tru rolls her eyes. "You know, you aren't very fun to talk to when you're sleepy." she says, and Jessie just remains silent. She quietly stalks into HQ, laying Jessie down on the couch and settling herself in Biggs's arms, falling asleep immediately.

Tru's dream.

/"I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to." a fourteen-year-old Tru whispers, trying not to flinch as another blow comes down on her.

"I told you to get me the paper." her stepfather says, kicking her. Her tiny, underfed body falls to the floor, blood dripping from her knee. She curls into a fetal position, praying to whatever gods are up there to just let her free.

"M-Mom wouldn't let me outside." she chokes out, her pale skin testifying to that fact. Her mother comes downstairs in her evening gown, hooking on an earring and watching disinterestedly.

"Don't give me excuses, bitch!" he yells, and Tru braces herself for another kick. Her mother just kisses Joe on the cheek.

"Darling, you can take care of this later. We're going to be late for the gala." she says, and Tru cringes as one last kick comes, hitting her directly in the center of her back./

/The couple walks out the door, leaving a bleeding daughter behind, but they don't care. Their party is too important to miss. Tru pulls herself off the tile floor and wraps a strip of an old, ripped sheet, kept under her bed for this purpose, around her knee and waist. She then grabs the mop and cleans the floor of her own blood, tears falling unchecked as she limps around./

/The door opens, and Tru, in the kitchen, freezes, looking for a place to hide that Joe hasn't already found. She limps to the hallway, pulling herself to the top of the linens closet and pulling folded sheets over her to hide herself./

/Drunken laughter falls into the closet from the entryway, and she hears them going upstairs. But, just to be safe, she sleeps there. Never know when she'll need to stop hiding./

HQ

Tru bolts awake, nausea and dizziness hovering over her. She runs to the bathroom, leaping over people with jumps and grace that most transgenics would envy. She doesn't even bother shutting the door, she just runs to the toilet and throws up, wiping the cold sweat off of her forehead. Her breathing is shallow and heavy, and she lets out a sob, hating how her past has affected her.

Biggs hurries to the bathroom, seeing the light on and hearing someone in there. The door's open, and he sees Tru throwing up. She hears his footsteps and looks up, the anguish and pain on her face heartbreaking, even to the most coldhearted person. (coughRenfrocough)

"Oh, Tru, what happened?" he asks, and she flushes the toilet, shakily standing up and drinking a bit of water from the sink. She walks to him wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes.

"He was hurting me again." she says, shaking with fear, sounding like a frightened little girl. Biggs lowers them to the ground, pulling her closer, so that she's in his lap.

"He hurt you?" he asks, and she nods. He just holds her tighter, unaware that anyone else in the building is awake.

"I tried to be good, so I wouldn't get in trouble..." she whimpers, clinging to him tightly. "But I was never good enough."

"Sh....I won't ever let him get you, Tru. I won't let anyone." he tells her, and she climbs into his lap, leaning her head on his chest.

Max and Alec watch from the door, not noticed by Biggs or Tru, who are otherwise occupied. Alec puts his arm around Max, who's watching with a look of shock and horror on her face. "Come on," he whispers, leading her into an empty office silently. "Let's let them be alone."

She nods, still watching Tru and Biggs. They hold onto one another, trying to hide from the world. Tru's breathing slows, and she rests her head in the crook of Biggs's neck. "I just wanted to be good..." she whispers, letting sleep claim her.

"But you are." he whispers, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. "You are so good."

Max's office, TC

"Damn." Max says, and Alec nods. "What do you think could have hurt her that bad?" she asks, only having seen that reaction to a flashback in Manticore alums, and even they weren't that bad.

"I have a feeling that fairytale she told before might ring a bit more true than we thought." he says, and she nods, sitting down on the couch. Alec follows, and Max lays her head in his lap, staring at the ceiling. His smirk grows, if that's possible, "Guess we'll have to make it have a 'Happily Ever After', huh?"

"You have a plan, don't you?" Max says, groaning. Alec's smirk turns into a pout.

"Why do you always think that my matchmaker plans are bad?" he asks, sticking his tongue out at him. She shrugs, grinning.

"Probably because they are." she says, and he growls playfully, and starts tickling her. She giggles uncontrollably, a very un-Maxlike thing that very few people have witnessed. "Stop it, stop it..." she laughs, and he grins.

"Say mercy." he orders playfully, and she locks her legs around his, using the leverage to flip them, so she's on top.

"No way in hell, Pretty Boy." she whispers, lowering her head and kissing him lightly. "So, what's your ingenious plan, Einstein?"

Alec smiles, glad that she saw things his way.

"Well, first of all, we need to get Normal in on the plan..." he says, and they both grimace, but know that it's the right way.

A/N: ok, so this chapter sucks beyond belief, and I'm really sorry about me. Please review me, even if it's just to comment on the suck-factor of this chappie. Again, please forgive me. Also, please don't be too harsh- god knows I know how much y'all are probably mad at me, but I had to read to little people, in costume in REALLY hot weather, the Sword in the Stone, and these creeps were totally ogling me. Ick. Sorry, I'm rambling. Anyway, my point was to please just drop me a line, and I'll be forever grateful.

In other news, I just got out of school Friday!!! woo hoo!!!

Oh, before I forget, I'm kinda trying to write like a novel this summer, if anyone would like to be my Simon(American Idol reference), I would appreciate it. Tell me if it sucks, or if it rocked. Just mention it in your review with your email, and I'll hit ya back.

Luv ya all, and sorry for the hella long author's note!!!!

Molly Jeane :D


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